1973 West Glamorgan County Council election

Last updated

The first election to West Glamorgan County Council was held in April 1973. [1] It was followed by the 1977 election.

Contents

The new authority came into effect from 1 April 1974 following the division of the former Glamorgan County Council into three new authorities.

Candidates

A feature of the election was that the new authority replaced both the existing Glamorgan County Council and the Swansea County Borough Council. In addition, the number of borough and district councils within the new county was reduced to four, namely Swansea City Council, Afan Borough Council, Lliw Valley Borough Council and Neath Borough Council. In many cases members of the former authorities found themselves competing for a reduced number of seats.

The Labour Party fielded candidates in every ward. A significant proportion of seats were contested by the Conservative Party and Plaid Cymru with fewer candidates fielded by the Liberal Party.

In the Port Talbot area, Lord Heycock was returned unopposed but other Labour candidates faced opposition from Ratepayers and Tenant Association candidates. At Cwmavon, Alderman Mel John, serving mayor of the borough, contested the seat as a Progressive Labour candidate having failed to gain the official nomination. [2]

Outcome

Labour won a decisive victory, winning support across the new county.

In the Neath area, Labour won eleven of the thirteen seats. The only successful candidates from other parties were Martin Thomas (Independent) at Coedffranc, who served on the former Glamorgan County Council and Huw Evans (Plaid Cymru), at Dulais Higher and Crynant. Evans was the prospective Plaid Cymru parliamentary candidate for the Neath constituency. [3]

Labour also won most of the seats in the Port Talbot area but suffered some defeats at the hands of Ratepayer candidates. At Cwmavon, a sitting member of Glamorgan County Council was defeated by Mel John, who had failed to win the party nomination.

Results

o indicates sitting councillor on Glamorgan County Council or Swansea City Council prior to 1973 election

A indicates sitting alderman on Glamorgan County Council or Swansea City Council prior to 1973 election

Ward Results

Aberavon East and West (three seats)

Aberavon East and West 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jim Warren 3,374
Labour Colin Crowley 2,906
Labour Cyril Lewiso2,889
Residents Laurie Stanton2,371
Residents Jim Roberts2,280
Turnout 48.3
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Aberavon North (one seat)

Aberavon North 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Douglas Heatley 1,829
Ratepayers Reg Raikes1,584
Turnout 53.5
Labour win (new seat)

Aberavon South (one seat)

Aberavon South 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Idwal Hopkin 1,319
Ratepayers Hilda Cuss733
Turnout 52.8
Labour win (new seat)

Brynmelyn (two seats)

Brynmelyn 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. AdamsUnopposed
Labour R. DowdleUnopposed
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Castle (two seats)

Castle 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour B. LudhamUnopposed
Labour E. KnillUnopposed
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Cwmafan (one seat)

Cwmafan 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Mel John 1,548
Labour Leslie Richardso1,026
Turnout 67.9
Progressive win (new seat)

Fforest Fach (two seats)

Fforest Fach 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Victor Cyril Alexander 2,471
Labour D. Bevan 2,297
Conservative David Mercer1,249
Conservative R. Hinds1,185
Turnout 38.9
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Ffynone (two seats)

Ffynone 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Paul Valerio 1,732
Conservative T. Thomas 1,715
Labour P. McCallum889
Turnout 38.2
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Glyncorrwg (two seats)

Glyncorrwg 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D. DanielsUnopposed
Labour G. DaviesUnopposed
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Gower No.1 (one seat)

Gower No.1 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal B. KealUnopposed
Liberal win (new seat)

Gower No.2 (one seat)

Gower No.2 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour F. Lord 1,644
Ratepayers D. Thomas1,121
Turnout 60.5
Labour win (new seat)

Gower No.3 (one seat)

Gower No.3 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal G. Beynon 1,682
Labour V. Watters642
Turnout 47.4
Liberal win (new seat)

Landore (two seats)

Landore 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D. CoxUnopposed
Labour S. JohnUnopposed
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Llansamlet (two seats)

Llansamlet 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour T. Lloyd-Jones 3,009
Labour L. Penhaligan 2,623
Plaid Cymru John Ball1,232
Communist E. Bevan366
Turnout 41.2
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Llwchwr No.1 (one seat)

Llwchwr No.1 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour W. Jones 1,597
Independent Cled Morgan1,184
Turnout 62.3
Labour win (new seat)

Llwchwr No.2 (two seats)

Llwchwr No.2 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D. Davies 2,782
Labour J. Jones 2,270
Liberal C. Thomas1,702
Independent Labour M. Thomas1,574
Turnout 69.8
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Llwchwr No.3 (two seats)

Llwchwr No.3 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Thomas 2,495
Labour D. Turner 2,222
Liberal H. Griffiths1,514
Conservative N. Williams1,457
Turnout 73.0
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Margam Central (one seat)

Margam Central 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Llewellyn Heycocko Unopposed
Labour win (new seat)

Margam North (one seat)

Margam North 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Wilf Mitchello781
Ratepayers Clyde Penhale682
Turnout 60.0
Labour win (new seat)

Margam West (one seat)

Margam West 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Ratepayers Edward Miles 1,482
Labour Cled Phillips1,011
Turnout 59.2
Ratepayers win (new seat)

Morriston (two seats)

Morriston 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour P. Evans 1,996
Labour S. Havard 1,977
Ratepayers C. Hadley1,810
Ratepayers J. Howes1,295
Turnout 35.8
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Mumbles (two seats)

Mumbles 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative A. Chilcot 3,180
Conservative M. Jones 3,072
Labour L. Neale1,757
Turnout 38.2
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Neath No.1, South and Briton Ferry (four seats)

Neath No.1, South and Briton Ferry 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Bill Phillipso4,159
Labour Fred Kingdom 4,137
Labour Dillwyn David 4,013
Labour Len Burtono3,891
Communist Gordon Jenkins1,683
Communist Walter Ferriss1,378
Communist Bill Pritchard1,019
Communist E. Strangeword689
Turnout 48.3
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Neath No.2, North, Pontrhydyfen and Tonmawr (two seats)

Neath No.2, North, Pontrhydyfen and Tonmawr 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Frank Cecil Evans 2,669
Labour Lillian Jones 2,261
Independent Jack Leitzo1,541
Independent Gerald Hemming1,533
Turnout 53.7
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Neath Rural (six seats)

Neath Rural 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Roy Jones 2,905
Independent Martin Thomaso2,534
Labour Norman Thomas 2,385
Labour Tom Thomas 2,131
Plaid Cymru Huw Evans 1,919
Plaid Cymru O. Roberts 1,629
Labour Wilfred Jones1,575
Labour Clifford G. Jones1,499
Independent T. Rees1,346
Labour Richard Davies1,300
Independent L. Adams1,191
Communist Glaslyn Morgan734
Plaid Cymru T. Evans346
Turnout 67.3
Labour win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Plaid Cymru win (new seat)
Plaid Cymru win (new seat)

Neath Rural No.5 (one seat)

Neath Rural No.5 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour David Hullo1,470
Independent R. Rees1,277
Plaid Cymru G. Dawe273
Turnout 63.2
Labour win (new seat)

Penderry (three seats)

Penderry 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Allison 3,152
Labour T. Jones 3,090
Labour G. Thomas 3,032
Plaid Cymru D. Reynon972
Communist W. Jones584
Communist B. Lewis424
Communist H. Barrow280
Turnout 29.4
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Pontardawe No.1 (one seat)

Pontardawe No.1 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent J. Williams 1,151 62.1
Labour G. Williams70337.9
Turnout 56.1
Independent win (new seat)

Pontardawe No.2 (two seats)

Pontardawe No.2 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Maunder 2,694
Independent M. Rees 1,948
Labour C. Jones1,836
Plaid Cymru M. Mulcahy1,507
Independent R. Jones1,037
Turnout 78.9
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Pontardawe No.3 (three seats)

Pontardawe No.3 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Lake 4,702
Labour W. Rees 4,615
Labour B. Richards 4,464
Plaid Cymru R. Davies3,305
Turnout 65.4
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

St Helens (two seats)

St Helens 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative C. Dilley 1,741
Conservative M. Hinds 1,545
Labour D. Davies1,067
Turnout 49.1
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Sketty (two seats)

Sketty 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative M. Vaughan 5,270
Conservative S. Perry 4,819
Conservative R. Massey-Shaw 4,477
Labour J. Dalton2,372
Turnout 47.2
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

St Johns (two seats)

St Johns 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour A, MorrisUnopposed
Labour H. TabramUnopposed
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

St Thomas (two seats)

St Thamas 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour A. HareUnopposed
Labour I. MorganUnopposed
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Townhill (two seats)

Townhill 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour T. Wignall 1,848
Labour T. Evans 1,748
Conservative C. McPherson429
Turnout 34.4
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Victoria (two seats)

Victoria 1973
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Ratepayers D. Jenkins 1,390
Ratepayers S. Jenkins 1,132
Labour A. Taylor1,051
Labour R. Lloyd852
Conservative T. Morgan477
Conservative E. Burrington329
Turnout 57.5
Ratepayers win (new seat)
Ratepayers win (new seat)

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References

  1. "West Glamorgan County Council Election Results 1973-1993" (PDF). The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  2. "Electors Must Vote Now". Port Talbot Guardian. 13 April 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  3. "Labour Sweep to Success, Plaid Gain Support". Neath Guardian. 20 April 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 5 October 2022.